Who Only Looks at the Sea

July in Zanzibar brings cool breezes from the South that subdue the usual tropical heat. Towering palms and rotund baobabs sway back and forth in the wind. These same winds can also churn ocean waves and make for turbulent seas. She lives with her auntie a short walk from the beach. There, she likes to sit and watch the waves – both chaotic and calm. But, watching the waves is nothing compared to watching people, her preferred hobby. She takes detailed notes about the interesting people she sees. Other waves are beginning to rock Zanzibar in these days leading up to Ramadhan, the Holy month of fasting. Tranquil preparation instead becomes desperation as past and present traumas collide. She struggles to find healing before she loses herself in these swirling waters. is Hoffelder’s first work of fiction.